


Caretakers and Groundskeepers

by ReadAtOwnRisk (CavannaRose)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Forbidden Love, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 02:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6686266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavannaRose/pseuds/ReadAtOwnRisk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief interlude between those that keep Hogwarts running.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caretakers and Groundskeepers

Night had fallen over the grounds of Hogwarts, bringing with it a soft blanket of silence so rarely found during the day. Bustling students with their loud, screechy voices were all banished to their dormitories, leaving Argus Filch free to roam the halls unharassed by the beastly little monsters. Mrs Norris came down from wherever she had been hiding, twisting around his ankles affectionately, and drawing a rare smile from the decrepit caretaker. She was one of the few joys in his life. His eyes darted towards the large front door to the building. Out there, getting ready for his own rest, was the second. Patting his cat on the head, Filch made a decision and headed onto the grounds for a late night visit.

The vast lawns of Hogwarts were different at night. The wind rattled through the branches of the whomping willow, a sighing counterpoint to the flapping wings of the thestrals making slow circles overhead. The haunting reminders that death had happened before his eyes were taking their young out for test flights, and despite their macabre appearance, it filled the custodian with a sense of calm.

As a squib he could have easily found himself employment outside the wizarding world, existing in the muggle realm as just another cog in their industrial machine. In his youth many had inquired as to his reasons, but his unpleasantly defensive attitude had shut them down, one by one. It was better to stay here, watching the youth of those that looked on him with pity. If someone as observant as he was had been here years ago, all that nonsense with You-Know-Who could have been avoided. There would have been no Heir of Slytherin sneaking out at night, taking deadly monsters for walks.

His ruminations had distracted him, and Mrs Norris let out a chirping sound to alert him that he'd arrived. Drawing tired fingers through the greasy strands of his hair, tucking in his worn jacket, he tried to make himself just that smidge more presentable before knocking on the door. Every time he came out here, there was that smallest worry that he'd be turned away. Inside the hut there was a cringe-worthy screeching sound as a wooden chair scraped across the floor, making the caretaker groan. How many times did he have to tell the big lug to be gentler on the floors?

Just then the door swung open, revealing the bushy beard of Filch's secret joy. Hagrid, in charge of keeping the outside of Hogwarts matching Filch's efforts on the inside. He flashed his crooked, stained teeth at the charming half-giant. "Argus, I din't expect you tonight. Come on in." The massive man backed up, warmth in his voice and joy sparkling in his big black eyes. Mrs Norris darted past her loving owner, taking up a position on top of the bookshelf where she could warily keep watch over Fang. Nervously, Filch twisted at the cuff of his jacket.

"I know we had nothing planned, Rube, but I was thinking, it's awful quiet up at the castle, so I wouldn't be missed..." The hairy groundskeeper halted his companion's justification with a large finger placed gently on Filch's thin lips, shaking his head with a smile splitting the wiry mass covering his face.

"Ye don't need an excuse to come see me, you're always welcome here." Hagrid dropped into his massive armchair, beckoning to Filch with a meaty paw. Once more that rare smile flashed across the man's wrinkled face, and he shed his jacket, leaving it in a crumpled pile in his eagerness. Filch perched on Hagrid's knee, arthritic fingers lacing through the larger man's hair as he burrowed into the thick beard to place a passionate kiss on his lover's lips. Hagrid's tongue swept inside Filch's mouth, swiping across the gaps where teeth had rotten out, battling to take the lead.

A raspy sound of excitement escaped Argus' thin lips as he pulled away, the lower half of his face reddened by Rubeus' scratchy whiskers. With a surprising deftness for his size, Hagrid unbuttoned the caretaker's shirt, revealing the pasty white hollows of the old squib's chest. Massive palms swept over the bony expanse, grasping lightly at the other man's hips, letting his large thumbs settle into the cavernous space beneath Filch's rib cage.

Knuckles twisted with age and damp struggled to echo the effort, finally freeing the hairy barrel chest of the Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. To think, this was where having Mrs Norris follow the big man around the grounds would lead. He rubbed his hooked nose through the bristly chest hair of the large man, placing dry kisses here and there with his desiccated lips, teasing until a massive hand caught his pointed chin, pulling him up to wrestle tongues with the giant once more.


End file.
